OER Sustainability poster presentation

Abstract

The SUNY OER Cohort Sustainability Program for Building Support, Advocacy and Resilience

26 SUNY institutions participated in an OER (open educational resources) sustainability program from 2019-2022. A combination of two year and four year schools took part in 1.5 to 2 year cohorts, sponsored by OER Services and the rpk GROUP. This poster describes some of the key program goals, process, outcomes and lessons learned.

A ten-part framework provided the structure for a deeper dive into OER sustainability issues for campus OER leads/teams. The framework includes three major elements: infrastructure (guidelines, processes, professional development, platforms, people), resources (finances, efficiency), and culture (communication, metrics, vision). Discussions were reinforced with non-disposable tasks to produce OER guidelines, budget models, infographics, updated sustainability plans, and pitch decks that can be reused in ongoing ways.

Pitch decks were developed to be shared with campus leadership and have produced a variety of results to date depending on specific campus needs. Participants reported increased confidence for developing OER programs for their institution. The cohort model for shared support and discussion was especially valuable during the pandemic that saw a lull in many campus activities and diminished OER funding for most.

Additional topics included sharing campus experiences with inclusive access/affordable learning materials, as well as reporting, advocacy and more. Lessons learned and plans for future OER/affordable learning efforts by cohort participants will be shared.